All articles tagged with #antennas
NASA's JPL is testing a downscaled, foldable ground-penetrating radar antenna (based on the Vivaldi design) to fit between the SkyFall helicopter's landing legs and withstand simulated Mars landings and temperature swings, as part of the 2028 SkyFall concept to autonomously search for resources on Mars.
NASA’s Deep Space Network, a trio of global 70-meter antennas, can detect signals as faint as a quintillionth of a watt from spacecraft billions of kilometres away, enabling two-way communication and data reception for missions like Voyager despite distance and interference.
The Space Force is restarting the SCAR program to solicit electronically steered phased‑array ground antennas via a Commercial Solutions Opening, shifting from the canceled AeroVironment/BlueHalo contract to an open, commercially sourced competition designed to expand the aging Satellite Control Network with scalable, multi‑link antennas (potentially up to eight concurrent connections with portals), featuring entrants from established defense contractors and startups such as AeroVironment and Northwood Space and aiming for fixed‑price production and stronger supply‑chain resilience.
As NFC chips become more common, there is an opportunity to repurpose the antennas they require for operation. A DIY enthusiast has experimented with stripping the antennas from spent metro tickets and using them for various purposes, including as a heating pad, power harvesting antenna, and even as the coil of a moving-coil speaker. While the results are mixed, it shows potential for recycling and innovation.
Amazon has unveiled three satellite antennas for its Project Kuiper internet network, which aims to provide high-speed internet to anywhere in the world. The "standard" version of the antenna is expected to cost Amazon less than $400 each to produce, while the "ultra-compact" model is the smallest and most affordable. The largest "pro" model is designed for more demanding customers and will be able to deliver speeds up to 1 Gbps. Amazon expects to begin mass-producing commercial satellites by the end of this year and launches of production satellites are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2024.